Our Mission
To create the conditions for all people to live healthy lives by engaging residents, reducing health disparities and attending to the needs of our most vulnerable families.

What has your organization done to promote a Weather Ready Nation? (i.e. what did your WFO recognize your for?)
For teaming with the Des Moines National Weather Service for a vehicle heat demonstration to show how quickly the temperature inside a vehicle can change and to highlight the dangers to children and pets. The demonstrations were attended by local media and broadcast live on social media. We also thank you for teaming with the National Weather Service and Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador Lamar Advertising Company to provide heat and safety tips on electronic billboards. For partnering with the Des Moines National Weather Service in coordination of heat messages (timing and content), and engaging in Health Department planning and implementation during heat events.

What does being an Ambassador mean to you?
The Polk County Health Department is pleased to be recognized for its dedication to keeping the community safe during extreme heat episodes. We have worked very hard to identify the situations and criteria when the conditions are more than “hot,” they are dangerous. Our relationship with the Des Moines National Weather Service has added credibility, impact and reach to our health-related messages, and has strengthened our community partnerships. We are a better prepared community, and better able to respond in a timely and coordinated way when we have an extreme heat event.

What are your goals for the next year concerning preparedness?
We will continue to identify the challenges and needs of the most vulnerable members of our community, and what information and resources they need to stay safe. We will continue to build on the already strong relationship we have with the National Weather Service, and leverage that partnership to strengthen relationships with other influential partners, most immediately with broadcast meteorologists.